kynges for to serue hym Semblably we reâ—e of Salamon how he was ryght lyberal as it apperyth the iij book of kynges the second chapytre SeÌ„blably the kyng Cyros was moche lyberal For he sente agayn in to Iherusalem she vessels of gold the whyche his fader Nabugodonor had taken a waye as recyteth Esdras in his fyrst book ¶ we rede also how Thobye offred moche largely to thangel Raphael of his good whome he had supposed to haue been a man as it apperyth the xij chapytre of Thobye ¶ Also we rede how the kynge Assuere was ryght lyberall whan he gaf half his wyame to hester as it apperyth the fyfthe chapytre of the book of hester By the whyche hystoryes it appereth how many somtyme were ryght renomed for their lyberalyte But Auaryce hath made many men to be dyffamed falle in to many Inâ—â—uenyeÌ„ts as shal be shewed in the chapytre that foloweth ¶ How Auaryce bryngeth a man to an euyl hauen causeth hym to lyue in myserye capitulo xvj BY Auaryce a man coueyteth the goodes of another And oftymes appropreth them to hym self rudely and he hym self of suche goodes as he hath dar not helpe hym self for alle waye he is aferde that his good shal faylle hym And thus thauaricyous man lyueth al way in myserye for suppose that he hath moche good neuertheles he is right poure syth by his couetyse he wyl not ther wyth helpe hym self ¶ Thus thenne ought the wyse man esche we couetyse Caym offred to god the werst fruytes of therthe therfore his oblacyon was not agreeable to god And thenne seyng Chaym that thoblacyon of Abel his brother was agreable to god by cause wherof he was moeued wyth wrath enuye slewe his brother afore sayd as it apperyth in the book of genesis by auaryce Iudas betrayed his lord and our sauyour Ihesu cryste and fynably despayred henge hym self More ouer dalida by cause of couetyse for money that was gyuen to hyr bytrayed hyr poopâ—e husoond Sampson And neuertheles she shewed tofore to sampson signes of ryÈt grete loue as it apperyth the xviij chapytre of JudicuÌ„ By the whych hystoryes it appereth how Auaryce bryngeth a man ofte to perdycion O Couetyse thou madest stryf bytwene Abraham Loth as recouÌ„teth the book of genesis for by cause of theyr richesses they myÈt not dwelle to gyder By auaryce the chyldren of Samuel maden many euyl Iugementes as it apperâ—th the fyrst book of kynges who causeth falsely to wytnesse ayenst Naboth but couetyse as it apperith the thyrd book of kynges who was cause of the fals wytnesse of the knyghtes that kepte the sepulcre but couetyse For by cause of certayn money that they had they wytnessyd falsely sayeng that the dysciples of Ihesu Cryste had stolen awaye the body of Ihesu cryste As wytnesseth saynt Mathew in his xxviij chapytre who caused Achor to deye but courtyse as it apperith the vij chapytre of Iosue wherfor wold dauid haue slayn nabal but by cause that Nabal was ouer auarycious as it apperyth in the fyrst book of kynges the v chapytre wherfor was Semey condeÌ„pned to deth but for his couetyse that he dyd departe fro Iherusalem ayenst the coÌ„mandement of his fader as it is wryton in the iij book of kynges the ij chapytre the euyl ryche man wherfor was he dampned but for his auaryce for he refused to poure Lazare the croÌ„mes of hys brede as receyteth saynt luc in his xvj chapytre Certaynly auaryce hath caused many men to perysshe consente to many synnes Inconuenyents for menelaus vnworthy was by money pourueyed to be preest of the lawe as it apperith in the ij loke of machabees the v chapytre the prestes of the lawe somtyme for their couetyse suffreden endureden to selle oxen sheep in the temple other marchauÌ„dyses as recyteth saynt Mathew in his xiij chapytre we rede also how Ananye saphâ—re fyl in to many Inconuenyentes by cause of theyr couetyse as it apperyth the v chapytre of thactes of the appostles Thenne me semeth that euery man that wyl lyue holyly ouÈt to haue suffysaunce of the goodes that god hath sente to hym wythout to sette hys hert on worldly goodes For as saluste sayth in his Catylynarye Auaryce empessheth trouthe wysdom and engendreth pryde and cruelte Auaryce empessâ—eth good studye and bryngeth a man in to vanytres and goodes whyche be not establysshed And to thys purpoos sayth Seneque in hys epystylle to Lucylle lxxiij Auaryce maketh a man a fool For a man coueytous alway desyreth that whiche be hath not and that whyche he hath he woteth not yf it be hys For he is alway aferde to lose it and that good shal faylle hym And therfore valere in hys 〈◊〉 book sayth that Auaryce is as a swolo we that may not be fylled and maketh many men to deye tuyl And in dede he recounteth how there was a man named septiminus seeyng that he was in paryll if the see but yf he threwe ouer borde parte of hys rychesse in to the see neuertheles he had leuer deye wyth his rychessys than caste a parte a way and lyue reteyne the remenaunte By whiche it sheweth that couetyse maketh a man ryght folysshe not vnderstondyng wysedom for a couetous man ofte tymes taketh oppynyon that he had leuer deye than lose hys good And to this purpoos recounteth Helmande how somtyme Hanybal assyeged a castel in whiche were thre hondred men closed whiche had nothyng to ete but rattes myes and it happed that one emonge them beyng moche auaricious took a mows and not withstondyng that he was nyâ—e dede for hungre he sold to another the mows for CC. pens by whiche it happed that the sayd auarycyous man deyed with al his money and that other lyued was delyuerd fro deth TheÌ„ne ought a man to aduyse and consydere that the goodes be not made ne ordeyned but for to serue man And therfor he ought not to loue but for so moche as he hath uecessyte or nede and thenne he ought to vse them sobrely in thankyng god whiche is of al goodes the welle and fontayne How thestate of pouerte is moche agreable to god cap â— xvij POuerte is none other thynge but veray suffysauÌ„ce with out to desyre ony other thyng than that whiche god sendeth to a creature And this pouerte is called pouerte of spyryte the whyche god approueth in the gospel sayeng that blessyd be they that be poure of spyryte that is to wete to wylle And me semeth after the scryptures the auncyent faders had pouerte And syngulerly they that were loued of god and called to good and worshyp ¶ Rede we not how Iacob was a pastour or a shepeherd and kepte the sheep goyng aboute the contreye and slepte in the feldes and leyde a stone vnder his hede lyke a pelowe as it appereth the xxxviij chapytre of genesis ¶ Semblably we rede that
Moyses kepte the sheep of a man named Iethro as it apperyth the thyrd chapytre of exode neuertheles was after ordeyned to be gouernour of the peple we rede also how saul was contente to haue one seruaunt and sought the asses of his fader not the horses for to ryde on And neuertheles he was ordeyned kyng as it apperith the first book of kynges the xxiiij chapitre of Dauyd semblably we rede how he kept the pastures whan he was called for to be kyng as it is redde the fyrst book of kynges the xvj chapytre by whiche hystoryes it appereth clerely how thestate of pouerte is to god agreable and in dede Ihesu cryst hath gyuen to vs of pouerte example For he was born of a poure moder and nourysshed of a poure man that is to wete of Ioseph leyde in a poure bedde wrapped with poure cloutes and clothes of poure parents offred in to the temple naked crucyfyed and by straungers buryed and lâ—yd in the sepulcre by the whiche thynges Ihesu cryst sheweth to vs. that no man ouÈt despyse pouerte for Ihesu Cryst sayth in the gospel that who that wyl be parfyght he ought to renounce al worldly goodes and gyue them to the poure peple and folowe me as recyteth Saynt Mathew in his xvij chapytre and to thys purpoos we reâ—e how thauncyent phylosophres sayden that more ryche is the poure man yf he haue suffysaunce than ne is he that is coueytous though he haue grete habondaÌ„ce of goodes And the same wytnesseth seneque in sayeng that dyogenes was more ryche whiche had no worldly goodes than Alysaunder whyche was lord of all the world for alysauÌ„der had not so moche good that he myght gyue As dyogenes myÈt and wold reffuse Of whyche Dyogenes Ualerius recyteth in hys fourth book how he refused the yeftes whyche Dyonyse the Tyraunt sente hym And it happed that Dyogenes on a tyme wesshed hys herbys that he shold put in hys potte and ete And that seeyng Aristipus whyche tofore had been hys felowe and sayd vnto hym in thys manere ¶ O Dyogenes yf thou woldest flatre Denys thou sholdest not be in thys pouerte And thenne Dyogenes ansnerd to hym yf thou woldest endure the pouerte that I endure and ete pyke thy wortes as I doo thou sholdest not be a flaterer as thou art Of the same diogenes recouÌ„teth saynt Ierome in his book ayenst Ionynyen how for al robes he had but a litel mantel lyned for tesche we colde And in stede of a celyer he had but a lytel sachet And in stede of an hors he had a staf or a bourdon And was lodged in a tonne at the yate of the Cyte the whyche tonne after the wynde it torned for to esche we colde And on a tyme he seyng a chylde that dranke water in his honde and he threwe a waye a lytel cuppe that he had in sayeng that hym ouÈt to suffyse for to drynke out of the vessel that nature had gyuen to hym that is to wete his honde By whyche it apperyth that spyrituel pouerte and very suffysaunce were somtyme in the wyse men as was dyogenes and many other And to this purpoos we rede how Epicurius the phylosophre sayd that there is no thynge so moche worth as Ioyouse pouerte And Orace in his epystles sayth In pouerte ouÈt not to be dysplaysaunce syth a man haue suffysaunce for his lyf For none other thynge may al the goodes of the world gyue to a man And therfore sayth Cathon to hys sone seen that nature hath made the naked thou oughtest gladly and with a good wylle endure pouerte flee oultrage For nature shall not faylle the in thy necessyte And thou shalt be ryche yf thou hast suffysaunce as wytnesseth geffrey in his poetrye many other More ouer the wyse man ought to consydere and aduyse that no thyng is worth to a man oultrage ne ouermoche habundaunce Is not Anthiochus deed and comen to nouÈt of whome recouteth valerye in his ix book how wel he bryng kyng of Surrye he made his horses to be arayed and adoubed with gold And them to be shoed wyth naylles of gold And in his kechyne alle the vessellis were of gold and syluer but alle he loste soro wfully For he desyred to take awaye fro his people more than to doo Iustyce ¶ what is become of the poâ—npe of the wyf of Neron whyche made hyr horses semblably to be shoed wyth gold made chariottes to be ledde tofore hyt ful of gold syluer Certeynly al is comen to nought the ryche men so moche more myserably ben comen to their deth as they loued more curyously theyr rychesses therfor recouÌ„tith dydymê° how the people of hys contre lyued pourely and wythoute curyosite for vanyte maketh men to perysshe to forgete god whyche is cause of alle goodes lyke as the Oâ—â— faunt is deceyued whan he trusteth to the tree to whiche he leneth Ryght so the ryche peple be deceyued whan they truste â— theyr rychesses for whan the day cometh of theyr moost gretâ— necessyte Nothyng auaylle them theyr rychesses for to haue â—â— uen and to that auaylleth pouerte suffysauÌ„ce Alas it were good to consydere how fortune hath noo certayn abydyng for as sayth Iulius celsus in his iiij book Fortune hath enhaâ—â—ed many men to rychesses for to ouerthrowe them vylaynously And to this purpoos hildebert in spekyng of his banysshement sayd I was that other day ryche and blessyd of frendes but fortune whiche had gyuen al to me hath taken al frâ— me she that la whed on me now constrayneth me to wepe and Ouyde in his book de tristibê° sayth I was a lytel whytryche honoured and now I am without cause baÌ„nysshed bâ— dishonour Thus I see that fortune hath noo sure Amytye n frendshyp therfor sayth boece in his second boke of consolaon that more auaylleth fortune aduerse whiche chastyseth man than doth worldly fortune the whiche blyndeth a man mayntâ—neth hym in his synne for who that is poure he ma not falle but the ryche man is in peryll for to falle in to greâ— sro w. yf thou wylt wyte what is she boece sayth that â— grettest malâ—rete that is is after grete happynes to falle in myserye and wretchydnes as dyd alâ—biades the which wfyrst right ryche after right vnhappy as valere sayth in â— vj boke Semblably he recouÌ„teth how denys Siracusan 〈◊〉 right ryche a right grete lord but fynably he became so poâ— that for to gete his lyuyng he taught the lesson and helde so 〈◊〉 chyldren of Corinthâ—e Thus theÌ„ne he is right eâ— aduysed that in fortune trusteth But a man ought to affye hym self in wel doyng For that is the rychesse that helpeth a man in his necessyte But presently mankynde is so blynded that he retcheth of noo thyng but of worldly goodes the which â—â—ght to take example of the auncyent wyse men of whome we rede that
royam of Alexandre Neuertheles it happed that he deyed the thyrd day after that he was kyng as it appereth in the fyrst book of machabees the xv chapytre Adomas also sayd not he by hys ambicion I shal regne after my fader and yet it happed the contrarye as it appereth in the thyrd look of kynges the fyrst chapytre For whyche thynges we may conclude how pryde and ambicion maken a man to bycome blynde and to lese entendement and vnderstondyng by consequeÌ„t doo many synnes euyllis ¶ How humylite maketh a man knowe hym self Capo. iij WHan a man is humble theÌ„ne he knoweth that of hym self he hath nothyng but fraylnes pouerte and myserye And therfor sayth thappostle in the ij epystle at Corynthyens warnyng vs sayeng my frendes preue your self my frendes knowe your self And saynt austyn in spekyng allone to god sayth lord gyue me grace to knowe the to knowe my self For yf I knowe my self I knowe wel that I ne am but asshes and rottynnes And therfor Abraham as it appereth in the xviij chapytre of genesis sayth Alas how dar I speke to god I that am but duste and asshes And to thys purpoos saynt Bernard in hys xxxvj omelye vpon the cantycles sayth I wyl examyne my sowle and knowe my self lyke as rayson wyl For ther is none so nyhe me as I am to my self And therfor in olde tyme was wryton on the yate of the teÌ„ple these wordes that folowe wel to knowe hym self is the yate of heuen as Macrobee reherceth in his fyrst book Policraticê° in his thyrd book the second chapytre recyteth how somtyme ther was herd a wys fro heuen whyche sayd that euery man ouÈt to knowe hym self the same sayth Iuuenal aud witnesseth that the sayd wys sayd gnoto solidos whiche is to say knowe thy self And saynt austyn in the fourth book of the trynyte the fyrst chapytre sayth I prayse them that knowe the heuen and the erthe and that studye in sciences humayn But I prayse more them that knowe them self that wel consydere theyr fraylte pouerte Alas saith saynt bernard in the book aforsaid Pryde deceyueth the creature and lyeth to a man in makyng hym or vnderstonde that whiche he is not kryngeth a man vnto that that he wene that his vyces ben vertues to thys purpoos sayth saynt gregory in his moralytes the xxxj book that the synnar weneth that his obstynacion be constauÌ„ce and that hys folysshe drede be humylite his auauntrye he weneth be largesse his slouthe he calleth prudence his Importunite he nameth dyligence and thus he weneth that his synnes ben vertues And therfore a man that wyl lyue holyly ought to examyne hym self by reson wysely to chastyse hym self as hughe counceylleth in his book of the cloystre of the sowle and the prophete ysaye in his xlvi chapytre in sayeng to the synnar pesynners aduyse yow examyne your hertes your thoughtes Thus dyd a moche wyse prophete named Sixius the whyche euery day he examyned hym self how he had lyued and how he had thanked god of the good that he had receyued and how of his synne he had reprened chastysed hym self As seneke reherceth in his thyrd book of yre Semblably thus we ought to do to she nde that in knowyng our self we haue cause to meke to humble our self toward god theÌ„ne alle vertue shal engendre in vs For humylite is of al vertues foundement rote For the whyche humylyte to haue we haue many good and notable examples As of Dauid the whyche gretely meked humbled hym self and humbly salewed the arke of god as it apperith in the second boke of kynges the xvi chapytre The whiche Dauid also receyued humbly Nathan the messager of god as it apperith in the chapytre after And fynably Dauyd seyng that god wold destroye his people as it apperyth in the same book the xxiiij chapytre begaÌ„ to wepe accused hym self sayeng I am he that haue synned take vengeance on me and not on the peple fynably he gate mercy we ought also to remembre of the humylite of the iij kynges that honoured adoured the swete chyld Jhesus as rehereeth Saynt Mathewe in the second chapytre of his gospel the whyche humylite was agreable to god we rede semblably of Achas notwithstondyng that he was ryght euyll Neuertheles whan he herd the payne that he ought to haue he humbled hym self tofore god gate mercy as it is wryton in the iij book of kynges the vj chapitre Aud Roboas by humylite gate mercy of god not wythstondyng that he was ryght cruel as it apperith in the ij book of Paralipomenon the xij chapytre Ezechias also by his humylite gate that god in his tyme toke no vengeance as it apperith in the boke aforesayd the xxij chapytre Nabugodonosor also by hys humylite gate ageyn hys restitution For he that had ben destitute fro hys Royame was bycomen a dombe beste by cause of hys pryde was by his humylite restored in his former astate as wytnesseth danyel in his thyrd chapytre Semblably mariâ— Magdalene humbled hyr self to the feet of Ihesu cryst in wâ—pyng wypyng his feet wyth hyr heeris and by the same she gate remyssyon of alle hyr synnes Also we rede how the cyte of Nynyue shold haue ben destroyed But by humulyte and penaunce they gate grace as Ionas reherceth in his iij chapytrr By the whyche thynges it apperith how humylite geteth mercy And in dede Iacob by humble spekyng appeased hys brother Esau whiche was angry with hym wold haue slayne hym as soÌ„me say As the hystorye appereth in genesis the xxxi chapytre wherfore also loste Roboas parte of hys royame but by proude spekyng ouerth wartly as we rede in the thyrd book of kynges the xij chapytre we rede also how the tweyne companyes eche of fyfty whyche came by pryde to â—elye were destroyed by fyre but the thyrd companye of fyfty was kepte by his humylite as it apperith in the fourth book of kynges the fyrst chapytre By whyche it apperith euydently that pryde is displaysauÌ„t to god and the proude men were somtyme ryght gretely pugnysshed But by humylite the creature may wel gete grace and pardon of god ¶ Also we rede how the woman of Chananee by humble spekyng gate helth for hir doughter as reherceth saynt Mathewe in his xv chapytre And to this humylite we haue example by saynt Iohn baptyste whiche lyued in deserte in ryght grete penaunce and very humylite and sayd hym self to be vnworthy to touche the latchet of the shoo of Ihesu Cryst And he was clad wyth a camels scyn as saynt mathew reherceth in his thyrd chapytre by cause of this humylite he was enhaunced aboue al other called more than a prophete Semblably helye was of ryÈt humble lyf and therfor god enhaunced hym ryght gretely was the fyrst prophete for whome god began to shewe myracles as
it appereth in the fourth book of kynges the fyrst the ix xiiij the xvij chapytres Moreouer the chyldren of Israel were reprised by holofernes But fynably they humbled them self and were saued as it apperith the x chapytre of Iudith And generally by humylite the creature may gete of god that whyche he hath nede of for whiche humylite to haue moche prouffyteth it a man to wel beholde knowe hym self as it is sayd in the begynnyng of this present chapytre How humylite is agreable to god to the world capo. iiij HVmylite is moche playsant to god to the world For she wytnesseth of thomage that the creature oweth to do to his creatour naturelly euery good man hateth pryde wherfore it foloweth that he loueth humylite And veryly we see in dede that a proude man may haue no frende the reason is this For he may not suffre that another be lyke to hym but he wyl surmounte euery man so gaynsayeth alle amytye For as Arystotle sayth iu the ix chapytre of the Ethyques Amytie or frendshyp requireth semblauÌ„ce somme equalite bytwene them that so owen to loue alas pryde deuyded heuen pryde also maketh many warres in the world For wylle desyre to regne maketh ofte many grete bataylles somtyme wythout cause put many men to deth Therfor the wyse man ought to humble his hert for to be loued of god after of the world And of so moche as the creature hath more of good welth lasse of aduersite of so moche he ought the more to humble hym self and not tabyde the tyme of necessyte whaÌ„ he shal by force be humbled Therfore sayth Aristotle that more it auaylleth hym that humbleth hym self by his owen wylle than to hym that is humbled by force And therfore Seneke in his epistle to lucille lxx sayth thus brynge thy self to lowe lytel astate withoute to enhaunce thy self to th ende that fortune make not the to falle foo hye to lowe Say not the naturyens that the lyon doth no harme to a man that humbleth hym self to hym wylde bore doth noo harme to a man that is leyde on therthe And therfore a man oweth by ryght to humble hym self for tesche we peryll And to this purpoos we rede how dydymê° in his epystle sayd to alyxandre knowe thou for trouthe that god is redy to do to the moche good so that thou be not deceyued by thy pryde by whyche it apperyth that pryde empecheth wytte aduys maketh a man to lyue without peas of conscience For hates noyses be founded in pryde as in the rote of al enemyte And to this purpoos sayen the naturyens that the thondres lyghtnynges and the grete wyndes ben caused of somme erthely thynges whyche ascende â—â—â—tylly vp aboue by the rayes of the soune more hyer than thâ—y ought to doo But nature whyche may not suffre them sendeth them agayn doun in lyke wyse causen the thynges abouesayd SeÌ„blably is it of a proude man whyche is moche â—ooâ—â—ful ful of noyses by cause that be mounteth more hye than he ought or shold in dede he falleth lower than he wold for he may endure nothyng of the world necesse not to despyse other Therfore sayth Prudence in his book of subgection of vyces that humylite adressth a man maketh his lyf more in a moyen in al his operations and tesche we oultrage Therfore reherceth valere in his fourth book that syth that another Valere had be moche grete at Rome he put hym self frely in a ryght lytel astate and lefte al pompes and al worldly thynges and me semeth that al proud peple ought to aduyse them vpon the hystoryes and auncient examples the wyche shewe how humylite enhaunceth the peple and pryde ouerthroweth them Rede we not how saul kepte nete and Dauyd sheep after were kynges Constantyn also was ryght poure whan he toke to his wyf helayne and after was chosen Emperour By whyche it appereth that the humbles haue ben enhaunsed but of the proude folke what shal we say I praye the byholde what is bycome of the puyssance of new whych fysshed with nettes of gold where is the puyssauÌ„ce of pharao where is the myghty cyte of Troye whyche was so renomed where is babylone that was so made iu heyght Certeynly all is come to nouÈt For pryde may not longe endure What auaylleth theÌ„ne pryde whyche the world so moche loueth what is bycome of Arphaxat the proud kyng he was all vanysshed awaye as smoke what is bycome of Agryppe and Iulyen that were so myghty Fortune hath taken awaye fro them alle that she had gyueÌ„ them he is a fool that trusteth in her but peraueÌ„ture thou shalt saye that thou mayst wel truste in thy wytte and in thyn hauoyr where as is thy grete puyssaunce Alas I praye the. wylt thou adresse the consydere that no man ouÈt to glorifye ne sette his hert in his sapyence ne in his wysedom And herof hast thou example of salamon the wyse maÌ„ whych afterward was deceyued so moche that he adoured ydolles Architofel the wyse counceyllour of dauyd fynably he henge hym self And the wyse cathon slewe not hym self democritus also And therfore it is grete folye for a man to gloryfye hym self in his wytte connyng more ouer what auaylleth the yf thou be fayr For Absalon was fayr neuertheles he was hanged on a tree And tholyfauÌ„t for al the beaulte of his yuorye his teeth is ofte put to deth The gamaleoÌ„ is moche fayr in his lyf but he is ryght foul in his deth what auaylleth theÌ„ne the beaulte of this world Thus euery persone may see and wel apperceyne that ther is no thynge in thys world wherof we ought to haue pryde for to gloryfye our self And this consydered the kyng of perce seeyng his people and hys kynghtes wepte sayeng Alas I see a ryght fayr companye But it is pyte seen that in short tyme they shal be but erthe In lyke wyse recounteth saynt Iherome that ther is no thyng of the world that endureth For we rede that Ionynyan dyd grete payne for to bycome a kyng but he deyed the same day that he shold haue be made kyng of the royame of Perce and Valentyne that was so ryche was by bledyng at the mouthe dede quenchyd And his sone gracyen was betrayed of hys owen people slayu by one his enemye Thenne it is but lytyl glorye to seygnourye and to haue ryclxsses and the same sayd the kyng agryppe whyche is tofore named the which in deyeng cryed wyth an hyghe wys Alas my good peple sette nothyng by hauyng of ryclxsses For me that am your lord ye may see deye right pourely And therfore Orace in his epystles sayth that there is nothyng that better apperteyneth to a man than lowlynes or lytel thyng For to a lytel thynge apperteyneth lytel That is to wete humylite the which maketh agreable to god and